Despite the inescapable convenience of the internet, Art & Art Installations are best appreciated in person at a gallery space or in a museum.

This is certainly the case with the work of Jacob Hashimoto. Interestingly, Hashimoto is one, of many contributors, to a current exhibition at the Hallie Ford Museum, in Salem OR, (Witness: Themes Of Social Justice In Contemporary Printmaking and Photography) and an exhibition at Site Santa Fe, in Santa Fe NM (The Dark Isn’t The Thing To Worry About). Incidentally, I have recently relocated from Salem to Santa Fe.

Hashimoto’s installation, at Site Santa Fe, in a site specific solo exhibition. The feature work, or works, are three-dimensional layered wall hangings consisting of hundreds – in some cases consisting of thousands – of miniature paper and bamboo elements suspended together by nylon fishing lines. The work are akin to a type of organic sculpture or architecture which simultaneously conveys elements of intricate patterns, buoyancy, meticulous craftmanship, and colorful abstraction.

Hashimoto’s work could be classified as a mobile sculpture or kinetic art, that is, a type of art installation using medium(s) which can move or convey motion. This element of movement, in an art installation, could potentially allow the viewer an opportunity to understand, or appreciate, Art installations from multiple perspectives.

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Numerous contemporary artists have explored kinetic art as part of their artistic portfolio. One example, contemporary UK artist Cornelia Parker – see photo from her Subconscious of a Monument installation from 2003.

A cold drizzly day – apropos for the music of Madeleine Peyroux. The American singer, with a voice reminiscent of Billie Holiday, an earthy and aching sound, who deftly navigates the worlds of jazz, blues, folk, soul, and pop. Her most memorable recording is The Blue Room (2013) which is an homage to Ray Charles’ early 1960s recordings, Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music Volume 1 & 2 (1962).

Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds recordings were landmark at the time of their release as his music integrated country & western and rhythm & blues and pop. His 1962 recordings were a commercial and critical success; the two recordings are on a short list of all-time great pop music records.

Madeleine’s 2013 homage to Modern Sounds include revisioning of some of the Charles’ songs along with a few other contemporary tracks which complement the overall tone of her album. Madeleine’s approach, to Charles’ classic material, is a smooth, soulful, and languid reinterpretation. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Cassandra Wilson’s bold tribute to Miles Davis, Traveling Miles (1999), is a breakthrough because it was influenced by a broad range of Davis’ seminal music – Kind of Blue (1959) through Bitches Brew (1969). Miles Davis evolving sound, during that 10 year period, inspired multitudes of musicians and faithful listeners to new heights.

Cassandra chose several classic musical offerings, from Davis’ catalog, and added lyrics – for example, she added lyrics to Blue in Green and Miles Run the Voodoo Down. There are also original compositions, Wilson’s compositions, that perfectly augment the overall spirit of her homage recording. The instrumentation, on Traveling Miles, is a mostly spare and evocative amalgamation of jazz, folk, and blues tones.

Cassandra, known as a remarkable and flexible jazz interpreter, has performed in a variety of musical formats over her career. She has a smoky and rare contralto singing voice – the contralto vocal range is the lowest female vocal range and it is similar to the male countertenor vocal style.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Shelby Lynne’s Just a Little Lovin’ record (2008) is regarded as a milestone in her music career. It is her homage to Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis (1969) – that 1969 record is on a short list of all-time great recordings. Shelby’s 2008 recording actually covers song selections from several different Springfield album recordings.

Dusty Springfield, a British pop singer, achieved legendary status with the release of her 1969 recording which was a critical, but not a commercial, success at that time. The album is regarded as a perfect marriage between pop and blue-eyed soul music.

Shelby, generally known as an alt-country performer, delivers restrained, warm, and honest renditions of Springfield’s songs. The instrumentation, on Just a Little Lovin, is intentionally sparse which is a stylistic departure from the Springfield originals. Shelby’s penetrating contralto voice is front and center.

It is with a certain amount of optimism, levelled with a bit of nervousness, that we normally entered into any new endeavor. Specifically, starting a new job. As I have relocated, recently, from the Pacific Northwest, back to the southwest, my home, I look forward to the orientation process with a new job.

The first few day, or few weeks, of any new job generally consists of Human Resources activities, introductions to your new co-workers, and one-on-one or group training on your specific job duties and tasks. With much excitement, and a little trepidation, I hope to navigate this process, as many of us have, with much diligence.

It was interesting to currently follow the orientation process for new members of Congress, especially newly elected members of the US House of Representatives. As most Americans are already aware, this 116th house will be the most diverse in US history. The approximately 90 newly elected House officials, about 2/3 democrats, include a large percentage of women representatives, as well as, individuals with a varied range of ethnic, religious, and gender identity backgrounds.

The orientation for new members of congress, prior to their official start date in January 2019, minimally includes, as one might imagine: caucus gatherings and meetings with party leadership, training on congressional ethics and disclosure rules, and guidance for handling constituent requests. Obviously, caucus meetings are essential for new members to learn about party and/or congressional policies and processes. During the several weeks before the official start of the new January 2019 US legislative session, new members will jockey for positions and assignments for various congressional committees.

New members of congress will have to locate offices and hire congressional staff; they have to obviously find a place to live in Metro Washington DC. The Congressional Management Foundation is one resource, of a few formal resources, which is available to assist new members of congress.Ultimately, new members of congress have to become gradually acclimated to the staggering work load and responsibilities and pressures which is the professional life of members of the legislative body of one of the largest and most influential democratic societies in the world.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Another interesting element, of the orientation progress, for new members of congress, is their attendance, in December 2018, at a three day program at the Harvard Kennedy School-Institute of Politics. The biennial program, Bipartisan Program for Newly Elected Members of Congress, is a nationally known educational and preparatory program for newly elected members, of all political parties.

The program fosters bipartisan discussions on a wide range of congressional policy issues. The program provides practical specifics on setting up and staffing congressional offices, wise practices for interactions with media outlets; and balancing personal and professional life during their Washington DC tenure. And the program offers one, of perhaps a few opportunities, for new members, of different political parties, to interact professionally and socially in a neutral, non-partisan, zone.

Art follows Nature. I am sure someone said that, at one time or another, but I am not sure who. Nevertheless, this quotation is surely applicable to Andy Goldsworthy, a renown environmental/land artist. Goldsworthy’s recent documentary, Leaning into the Wind (2017), continues to chronicle his life’s work involving creating aesthetic expressions in a natural setting while utilizing only natural or found materials that are usually native to a particular natural setting.

The new documentary follows a similar pattern as Goldsworthy’s Rivers and Tides (2001), that is, documenting the thoughtful and laborious process of creating found art in Nature. Both films are a product of German director Thomas Riedelsheimer and both films feature an eclectic musical soundtrack by Fred Frith.

Two distinct differences between the two films, that are separated by a span of 16 years, are the inclusion of Goldsworthy’s now adult daughter Holly as his creative associate, she appeared as a child in the 2001 film, and the exposition of Goldsworthy’s significantly deeper artistic immersion into wild natural settings.

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Maya Lin, who is well-known for her Vietnam Veterans Memorial project, is famously involved with land art or landscape architecture. She is also known for her work in visual arts, architecture, sculpture, and conceptual art installations. In many of her conceptual art installations, Lin mimics natural forms through post-modern and meticulous execution.

Conceptual Art or conceptualism is a form of contemporary art (art installation) which allows the artistic concept or idea to take precedence over the artistic (visual/material) components of the work. Lin’s interest in conceptual or topographic landscapes, in an installation art setting, has deepen throughout the past 20 years.

Lin is an environmental activist and one of her goals, whether with her land art or her conceptual work, is to raise environmental awareness. She consciously uses recycled and sustainable materials in her artistic work.

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Olafur Eliasson, Icelandic/Danish installation artist, has moved conceptual art to a massive scale. His public works installation, New York City Waterfalls (2008), featured four man-made waterfalls placed along the East River in New York. Eliasson is a visual artist, sculptor, and large-scale installation artist. His work frequently references natural elemental themes of light, water, and spatial dimension.

Among his many work, large scale and small scale, Eliasson is best known for his Green River project (1998-2001) in which he would dye rivers with non-toxic powder; usually without advance notice to local authorities. Moreover, he is famous for his The Weather Project installation (2003) at the Tate Museum in London. In this latter work, Eliasson uses humidifiers for atmospheric effect and hundreds of monochromatic, yellow light, to stimulate the experience of the viewer standing before a massive sun.

A journey of 1000 miles (actually my journey of 1414 miles) begins with me driving my car, from the Pacific Northwest to the American Southwest. While I enjoy the road, the scenery, for two or third days, I will be understandably preoccupied with reestablishing my life in New Mexico, after 3 and half years in Oregon. Outside of the regular logistics of setting up a home, settling into a new job, getting new car license plates, and new drivers’ license, I am keen to register to vote with the local county clerk’s office – in time for the November mid-term elections.

Among the 1000s of state and local election contests and issues, there are elections for many US House of Representatives seats and about 1/3 of the seats in the US Senate. Nearly 40 gubernatorial elections, in US states and territories, will be voted on, as well as numerous elections for city mayor – including significant mayoral contests in San Francisco, Washington DC, Phoenix, and Newark.

Obviously, some amount of effort is required to research and investigate information about any specific election, or elections, which are pertinent to your community or region or nation. Nevertheless, the privileged aim of civic duty, whether through jury duty service, or by voting, is a demonstration of our personal commitment to good governance.

Good governance, which seeks to reasonably provide the optimal benefits for the members of its society by wisely utilizing its available resources, usually adheres to at least four basic principles connected to the Rule of Law: 1) Open government – governmental administration is efficient, accessible, and fair (a citizen’s civic duty falls under this accessibility criteria; 2) Accountability – governmental actions and administration are accountable; 3) Fair laws – laws are clear, just, and applied fairly, and basic rights are protected; and 4) Dispute Resolution – the court system is competent and ethical.

The World Justice Project, an independent organization which researches and promotes the principles of the Rule of Law throughout the world, has developed a statistical index for measuring good governance. It’s index is based upon eight factors or variables: 1) Governmental checks and balances, 2) Lack of corruption, 3) Open government, 4) Human rights, 5) Order and security, 6) Regulatory environment, 7) Civil Justice, and 8) Criminal Justice.

The top ten rankings, for nations with good governance, 2017-2018, as researched by the World Justice Project are: 1. Denmark2. Norway3. Finland4. Sweden5. Netherlands6. Germany7. New Zealand8. Austria9. Canada10. Australia

The top ten rankings, for nations with good governance, 2013-2014, 4 years ago, as researched by the World Justice Project: 1. Denmark2. Norway3. Sweden4. New Zealand5. Finland6. Austria7. Netherlands8. Australia9. Germany10. United KingdomThe United States was ranked 20th and 19th, in the world, in the respective governmental years of 2013-2014 and 2017-2018.

The season of Autumn has changed since the days of my youth. This is because I was born/raised in the Midwest but I have spent most of my adult years in the Southwest – and now the Northwest. My memories of the fall season are brushed with the deep rustic colors of endless tree-lined streets in the city of St. Louis. So despite, the muted autumn, the Southwest, or the evergreen autumn, the Northwest, of my adult years, I continued to experience, mnemonically, the bittersweet decay of the Midwest.

Scientific study supports the concept that our psychological moods shift with the arrivals of the months of September and October. At the least, there might be an onset of melancholy or moroseness that accompanies the realization that amount of daylight is in decline and that the weather will become inclement. And for the ancients, there was the real survivalist activity connected with stockpiling for the oncoming winter season.

In the present, it is the rich parade of colors, within the trees which surround us, which attracts our attention. Gradations of brown and yellow tend to be the principal colors of a progressing Autumn:

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ten

you stumble awake into the blessing of the morning ..it is no, not gold ginger beige sepia cream khakisandalwood bronze taupe, ah buttermilk or scotch,not tan sandy hazel or chestnut cinnamon orangebut a new color that just you, you have discovered++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

singers with citrus complexions, for example heightened, songs in their heads, hurry thin corridors onto spacious stages .. or the camouflage complexions of new soldiers struggling thru the mud in training fields .. or animals spotted people who have primitive tools & who stand in religious stillness in a rainforest .. or painted porcelain faces of actors actresses, in period clothing, who nervously wait to enter into the action of a play .. or on a beach, two friends, walking tightly, two friends of watery appearance, white blue appearance, who unhurriedly unburden their thoughts ..

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vi

he, who is more charcoal than a grey skin, a boy of school age, who takes a short cut carefully in a field of shards with a back bag of books .. or rust hues in a man, not short, who with large art canvas in hand, is waiting to cross a dizzy street .. or a woman with lunar skin, who has daily insights, for example heightened, parks a car & walks thoughtfully .. or, and/or, teenagers, carelessly loitering, with sandy pink faces, faces reflecting faces reflecting faces reflecting in a window, faces stained with the late hours of the day ..

Since Portland resembles a black and white photograph (see above photo, that I took one November morning 2016), October to May, it is easy to reminisce about the classical black/white photographers of the mid-century. Before the advent of digital photography, prior to 25 years ago, there was the physical or traditional process of photograph-making; that is, non-digital cameras, light meters, tripods, film, negatives, and photographic paper.

Regarding the history of photography, the first wave, of the most influential photographers, from the 20th century, were Ansel Adams and Edward Weston among others, who were followed by a second wave that included Minor White, Harry Callahan among a distinguished list.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(Minor White – Portland Oregon 1939)

Minor White’s work was of particular interest to me because he was a teacher, publisher, editor, and writer as well as a master photographer (1908 – 1976, 110th anniversary of his birth in 2018). Minor White began his photographic career in Oregon in the late 1930s, he eventually taught innumerable classes and workshops at the California School of Fine Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), among others; he was an influential mentor to an up and coming group of third wave classical black/white photographers.

White photographed a wide variety of subject matter including landscapes, people, and abstract themes. These were all created with both technical acumen and a vibrant visual sense of composition.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(Minor White – Window Sill, 1958)

One of Minor White’s lasting legacy is the creation, with other prominent photographers of his time, of the photography magazine Aperture; he was editor for many years; the magazine is still in publication.

Two of Minor White’s major contributions to photography included the concept of Equivalent which proposed that a photograph can have more than one interpretation regarding its content; secondly, the concept of Sequence, that is, a deliberate collection of inter-related photographs that evoked a collective sensation/impression or sense/feeling.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(Minor White – two barns, 1955)

Minor White was an excellent writer, as well, and he often included philosophical text with his photographs as they appeared in books or in exhibitions. One, of his many, famous quotes:

“Be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence.”